Recovering From the Past
by Agent York FTW
Summary: Gabriella Montez has had a hard time ever since her mom died in a car crash when she was five leaving her with her abusive father. when she has finally reached her breaking point she meets this nice family and falls in love with the son. will her life scaring past stop her from finding happiness in her life? WARNING Abuse is mentioned.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N okay so I know it's been a while since I last posted and I'm trying to get the chapters off. I currently have two chapters ready one for Rebels and one for love v covenent. I just need the finishing touches. Anyway my school is doing a play and I'm in the running for the lead. The play is High School Musical so that's why I've started this story. Anyway hope you guys enjoy.**

Chapter 1

Everything was quiet in the Montez house. Well almost everything. The sound of a girl whimpering could be heard in the hall of the house. The voice belongs to 16 year old Gabriella Montez. Gabriella sits on her bed rocking back and forth covering the new bruises and marks, given to her by her abusive father. Her mother died in a car crash leaving her and her father to mourn. She started becoming more distant and he became violent. This action has become the last straw. Her father has been too abusive and now this has broken her. She packs her things and quietly walks out of the house. When she gets to the driveway she calls the cops trying to ask them to pick her up.

"Pl...please c...come ge...get me."

" _Ma'am what seems to be the problem?_ " Before Gabriella has time to respond her father comes out and starts screaming.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OUT HERE AT NIGHT!" Gabriella starts to back up but her father grabs her arm and pulls her close.

"I'm sorry sir."

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT SPEAKING?!" Before she answers he slaps her hard enough that the operator on the phone could hear it. Gabriella screams and the operator speaks over the phone.

" _Ma'am I have a police officer on her way to come get you they will be there shortly. Ma'am... ma'am... ma'am?_ " Gabriella's dad hangs up the phone and looks at her.

"You little..." He grabs her throat and keeps hitting her. He drops her and runs into the house as soon as he hears sirens. He locks the door and Gabriella just starts crying.

The officer get's out of the car and runs over to Gabriella.

"Miss?" She places her hand on Gabriella's shoulder and she freaks out.

"Ma'am are you okay?" Gabriella just nods afraid to speak.

"Miss I need you to speak please." Gabriella just shakes her head and points to the house tears still streaming down her face.

"Okay miss. I need you to go into the car while I call this in." Gabriella walks into the car and the officer takes her walkie talkie out.

"Dispatch this is Officer 557. I'm taking this young girl to a therapist to find out what happened to make her stop talking."

" _Okay Carol, be careful. This girl sounded really distressed when she called us._ "

"I know. I'll call when I'm going back to the station." The cop get's into the car and drives to a therapist's office.

They get to the office and walk in. The cop goes right to the desk and Gabriella stays at the door.

"Listen I've got a girl here who really needs some help. It seems she's been abused by her father."

"Okay I'll talk to Mrs. Bolton and have her see if she can help." The officer walks over to Gabriella and looks at her.

"Okay so I'm going to have you go in with someone who is going to try to help you speak and explain what's happened okay?" Gabriella nods and a woman walks out of a room.

"Hello I'm Dr. Bolton. I assume you are the girl I'm supposed to be meeting with?" Gabriella nods her head.

"Well then please follow me." Gabriella follows Dr Bolton into the room and Dr Bolton shuts the door.

"Okay so where should we start? Well what's your name?" Gabriella just looks at Dr Bolton and then at the floor.

"Well my name is Lucille Bolton. You can call me Lucille if you want. Would you like find a way to talk without your voice?" Gabriella nods and Lucille smiles.

"Do you know sign language?" Gabriella nods and smiles a little before it fades away and she start signing.

" _Yes I'm actually fluent. My name's Gabriella. Anyway I just don't use it much because I don't talk to very many people._ "

"Gabriella, what a beautiful name. Now you said you don't talk to people. Why is that?"

" _Well my father... after my mother's death he blamed me for it and he told me he didn't want to hear me speak, and every time he did he would hit me. If I smiled, laughed, talked or did anything but stay silent or cry he would hit me._ "

"Well sweetie some people have different ways of coping. Your father probably was drunk most of the time and he lost his temper. I'm sure you had your own way."

" _Well yes I did but no offence but you don't know my father. He was never drunk and he never lost his temper when he hit me. He told me that the only reason I wasn't dead was because my mother would protect me. Now that she's gone..._ "

"There's no one there to stop him." Gabriella nods and Lucille solemnly nods.

"Well Gabriella do you think you can speak just a little for me? I just want to see if you still can or if your memory is reminding you of the pain causing you to not speak."

"O... okay. I'm so...sorry if I st...stutter."

"Oh sweetie it's okay. That's actually normal for someone in your situation. Now I would like you to start trying to talk a little each day. Try to get your brain to remember that it's okay to speak. Now I do have to ask, what are your current living arrangements?"

" _I guess after this I'm going to the police station._ " Lucille shakes her head and scoffs.

"That is no place for a nice girl like you to be especially in this state. Do you want to come stay with me and my family?"

" _I'm sorry I couldn't do that to you. You seem nice and I don't want to intrude._ "

"Don't worry you won't be. Honestly I'm sure my family would love to have you with us. I have a son about your age I'm sure he would be happy to meet you."

" _If you really think so I'll give it a try. Only if your okay with it._ "

"Of course I am sweetie. Listen I'll go take the officer that you'll be coming home with me."

After about five minutes Lucille comes back in and smiles at Gabriella.

"Ok Gabriella, we're good to go. If you don't want to go straight to the house we don't have to."

"B...but what about yo...your other patients?" Lucille sits next to Gabriella and smiles.

"I don't have anymore. You were the last one. Also I'm impressed. You just spoke without stuttering very much."

"I did? Oh n...no I'm sor...sorry." Lucille's smile fades and she puts her hand on Gabriella's.

"Gabriella please don't worry about that. I want you to talk, I'm not going to punish you for that. Actually I'm not going to punish you for anything. You haven't done anything wrong." Gabriella just looks at Lucille and leans her head on her shoulder.

"Sweetie are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm sorry, I just forgot how it feels to have someone care about me."

"Come on let's go meet my family."

 **A/N okay so yeah first chapter. Here's hoping I get the part of troy in my school musical. Anyway thanks for the support.**


	2. Meeting the Bolton's

**A/N okay so I'm getting back into the swing of this. Anyway I didn't expect this story to start booming until like chapter five but after maybe an hour after I posted I got an email saying someone favorited, followed, and reviewed this story so thank you** **to pumkinking5 for the review and thanks 14 for the first follow and fav. Anyway on with the story.**

Chapter 2

On the way to the Bolton's Gabriella looks down at her arms remembering all of the times she was hit and beat for no reason.

"Gabriella are you okay?" Lucille looks at Gabriella knowing that she didn't hear her.

"Gabriella?" She looks at Lucille and then back at her arms.

"Are you ok?"

"Oh ye...yeah I'm f...fine." Lucille looks back at the road and places her hand on Gabriella's.

"Don't worry your safe from the past. You don't have to remember what happened."

"I know I just... remember." Lucille just nods and continues driving.

After about five minutes they reach the house and Lucille get's out.

"Come on Gabriella, everyone's inside." Gabriella reluctantly get's out of the car and walks into the house with Lucille.

"Troy, Jack come in here." She looks around the house and then hears the sound of a ball hitting the backboard of a basketball hoop.

"Hold on Gabriella, I'll be right back." After a few minutes two guys and Lucille walk back into the house.

"You're getting better Troy."

"Hmm that means your getting worse. That's the fifth time I beat you tonight."

"Don't get cocky there boy. You may be good but it's not enough to beat West High." Troy laughs and looks at the door and sees Gabriella standing there.

"Boys this is Gabriella. She's going to be staying with us for a while." Troy smiles and walks up to her.

"Hi I'm Troy." Gabriella looks at him and waves a little.

"You okay?" Gabriella looks at her arm and then at him.

" _Yeah I guess. I'm just a little scared I haven't really been in the best of shape lately._ " Troy nods and then signs to her.

" _Sounds ruff. What happened exactly?_ " Gabriella stands there shocked to find out that Troy knows sign language.

" _I come from a bad family. My mother died in an accident and my father beat me a lot. That's why I know your mother._ "

" _I'm so sorry I had no idea._ "

" _It's okay I guess._ " Lucille walks over to Gabriella and Troy and smiles at the two.

"Gabriella this is Jack. He's my husband."

"Hello Gabriella."

"Hi." Even though she spoke it was so quiet that they could barely hear it.

"Troy why don't you take Gabriella upstairs so she can get comfortable?"

"Okay mom. Come on Gabriella." The two of them go upstairs and Lucille looks at Jack.

"We really need to help this girl Jack. She's been abused a lot by her father."

"We will help her. We just need to find a way to put him behind bars and make sure nothing happens to her."

"Well let's let her get used to this and get comfortable around us."

Troy opens the door to a spare bedroom and walks in. He looks at Gabriella and smiles.

"Well this is the only spare room we have but kuckily it's close to all of us if you need anything."

" _Thanks Troy._ "

" _No problem, Gabriella._ " Troy smiles at her and she sits on the bed.

"Something wrong?" Gabriella shakes her head and looks down. She wipes a tear from her eye and Troy sees this.

"You sure you're okay." Gabriella shakes her head no and starts shaking while crying.

"Hey Gabriella shh. It's okay." He sits next to her and places his hand on her back. She jumps a little and moves back. She quickly settles and leans on his shoulder. Troy wraps his arms around her shoulders and she just sits there.

"Shhh it's okay. Hey look at me." Gabriella looks up at him and he wipes the tears off her cheek.

"You okay?" Gabriella takes a deep breath and nods.

" _I'm sorry I didn't mean to get your shirt wet._ "

"It's okay you're fine. Now I don't mean to upset you but why don't you talk?"

" _Well it's because my father hated my voice. He never wanted to hear me speak and if I did he..._ "

"You don't have to finish that sentence. I get it." Troy smirks and Gabriella looks at him with a confused look.

" _Troy what are you thinking about?_ " Troy smiles and wraps his hand around her waist.

"Oh nothing just one question."

" _What is it?_ " Troy smirks and places his hand on her ribs.

"How does this feel?" Immediately her eyes go wide when he lightly digs his finger tips into her ribs. She starts squealing and giggling. The sound just makes Troy's heart melt. ' _Why do I feel like this. I just met her but something about her makes me want to kiss her. Oh well at least she's smiling and laughing._ '

"Troy plehehehehese stop. It tihihihihihihickles."

"Wow she can talk. Well I guess I should stop but you have to promise me that you won't stop smiling."

"Ok, ok, ok, I won't just stop." Troy smiles and lets her go. She lays there panting and smiling. She looks at Troy and sticks her tongue out at him.

"Hey that's not nice." Gabriella just breaks out laughing. Troy reaches over and quickly tickles her stomach causing her to squeal really loudly.

Lucille and Jack are sitting on the couch watching tv.

"You know it's been a while since we heard from Troy. I hope Gabriella's okay." All of a sudden they hear Gabriella squeal.

"What happened?" Lucille runs up the stairs and goes to the room only to see Troy and Gabriella laying on the bed laughing.

"Well you two look like you've been having fun."

"Yeah well I figured out something really funny about Gabriella."

"Troy don't you even think about it or I'll ask your mother if it's the same for you." Troy looks at her in surprise and then lays back down.

"Fine." Lucille just laughs at the two teens and turns around.

"Hey Gabriella, Troy's ticklish too." As soon as she said that the whole house could hear Troy.

"Mom why would you tell her that?" Lucille just laughs and walks down the stairs.

Troy looks at Gabriella and just smiles. She places her hand on his and smiles at him.

"Troy can I tell you something?"

"Yeah of course."

"I don't know why but I feel so safe and comfortable here. With you and your family but I just met you guys and you've already been so kind to me."

"Well of course we're nice to you. You way too kind to be mean to and I don't see how any one could be mean to you."

"Thanks Troy."

"Your welcome Gab." Gabriella smiles at Troy hearing him call him Gab. She lays back on the bed. Troy just smiles at her and wraps his arm around her. They just lay there until Troy quickly sits up.

"Crap!" He looks at Gabriella and then gets up.

"I'll be right back." Troy runs out the door and down the stairs. Gabriella looks in the small bag she grabbed from her house and sees her old journal.

"Might as well." She starts writing and realizes what she said in it.

 **It's been a while since I wrote in this but well I'm just gonna say it. I think I'm in love with Troy. Even though I just met him I still feel so safe with him and well I think I have a crush on him. Maybe I should talk to Lucille about it.** Gabriella just outs her head in her hands and closes her eyes. She realized she used a pen so she can't erase it and she doesn't want to rip it.

"Hmm where's Troy?"

Troy is looking at his mother and father freaking out.

"Troy calm down. If Gabriella hears you freaking she will too. She trusts you and will act however you do."

"I know but what are we supposed to do. Sharpay won't be kind to her but I don't want her to have to stay here."

"Well how about this. Jack and I will talk to the principal and tell him that Gabriella is to stay near you."

"What about third period?"

"I'll talk to her teacher about that. I'll make sure they know that she may need to be in the gym during third period until she's comfortable to go, and even then if she needs to be near you she can."

"Okay so that's what we'll do?"

"Yes that's basically it." Troy nods and walks up the stairs and Gabriella runs into the room but she trips on the way to the bed and misses hitting the floor. Everyone down stairs could hear the impact and they all run up the stairs.

"Gab are you okay?" Gabriella looks at Troy and sheepishly smiles. She nods and then tries to get up but she falls back down.

"Ow." Jack and Lucille look at her in surprise and Troy runs over to her.

"Hey relax. Just sit down, where does it hurt?" Gabriella bites her lip and grabs her ankle.

"Your ankle?"

"Yeah." Troy nods and picks her up and puts her on the bed. He starts using his memory from the countless times that one of his teammates go down with an ankle injury that really turns out to be that they just stepped on it wrong.

"Does it hurt when I turn it this way?" Gabriella shakes her head and looks Troy in the eye.

"Okay how about this way?" Troy turns her ankle to the left and she bites her lip and hits her hand on the bed.

"Ow, ow, ow." Troy immediately stops what he was doing and winces.

"Sorry. Ok Dad I need you to go get an ice pack."

"Alright. What did she do?"

"It's seems to be a small sprain on the left side of her ankle. She'll be fine by tomorrow but she needs to be careful."

"Well looks like all that time on the court helped you." Jack goes to get some ice and Lucille looks at Gabriella.

"So what happened that made you fall?"

"I'm sorry I guess I wanted to listen without you knowing and then I tried to run into the room but I tripped and fell." Troy laughs and Lucille smiles. Gabriella knows why they are but she also feels there's something else.

"You could've come down. I just didn't think you wanted to talk in front of everyone and that's why I had you stay here. You didn't actually have to stay in here."

"Now you tell me." Troy laughs and Gabriella glares at him. She smiles and jabs him in the stomach and he starts shrieking of laughter.

"Wow you were right Lucille." Troy looks at Gabriella and he smirks.

"You're worse than me, Gab." She smiles and looks at Troy. They hold eye contact for a while before Jack comes back.

"Alright here's the ice."

"Thanks. Gab here put this on the part that hurts. It should numb the pain and make the swelling go down if there is any."

"Okay." Lucille smiles hearing that Gabriella is talking without stuttering.

"Listen you two. You have school in the morning so you should get some rest."

Okay mom." Jack and Lucille leave and Troy smiles at Gabriella.

"Alright well I'll let you get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay. Night Troy." Troy leaves the room and Gabriella closes her eyes.

About midnight the Bolton's house is extremely quiet. For about five minutes nothing can be heard until a ear piercing scream wakes everyone in the house up. Troy, Jack, and Lucille run to Gabriella's room and see her thrashing about and crying in her sleep. Jack turns on the light switch while Troy and Lucille try to calm her down.

"Gabriella... Gabriella, it's me Lucille. I need you to wake up."

"Mom let me try." Troy sits on the bed and wraps his arms around Gabriella's shoulders.

"Gab listen it's me Troy." Gabriella starts whimpering causing Troy to rock with her in his arms trying to get her to calm down.

"Gab I need you to wake up please." Gabriella wakes up and looks at Troy and outs her face into his chest crying.

"He's going to hurt me. He'll fine me and hurt me please don't let him Troy please."

"Gab you're safe. No one is going to hurt you. He won't find you. Your far away from him and no one will let him near you. It's okay." Troy looks down to see Gabriella sound asleep.

"Mom, can I..."

"Yes. She seems to be sleeping so just stay here tonight. It may help her to have someone she trusts near her."

"Okay goodnight mom."

"Goodnight Troy." As soon as she leaves Troy lays down and kisses Gabriella's forehead.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you if it's the last thing I do." With that Troy closes his eyes and falls asleep.

 **A/N okay so a little Troy and Gabriella fluff. I hope you guys like this and thanks for all the support. You guys are the best.**


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